Collide
by SGreyson1
Summary: When his car collided with hers, he never imagined how that moment would change his life. She always thought her knight in shining armor would ride in on a white horse, but instead he came crashing in to her. [AU/OOC] HEA
1. Chapter 1

**-Saturday, October 10-**

**_"I came in like a wrecking ball, I never hit so hard-"_**

SCREECH! BAM!

Oh hell no! My body jerks forward as my chest slams into the steering wheel. Miley is still blasting through my speakers when I turn the radio off.

"This is the last thing I need." I grit as I get put of my car. Thank goodness it's not during the five o'clock rush, I knew it was too good to be true when Kate sent me home early.

"Are you okay?" A deep voice asks. Looking up I see a tall well built man in a sharp black suit walking towards me.

"Yea but my car isn't." My bumper is totaled and my trunk is pushed in to the point that it's now open. "Were you not paying attention?" I groan as I take a better look and see the full extent of my damage. "We just paid this fucking car off and you have the fucking nerve to hit me!" I screech at him. He flinches and tries to speak but I cut him off with my hand and walk to my seat and grabbing my phone and dial the cops.

"There is no need for that." A different voice asks. Looking behind me I see another man in a suit exiting from the back seat. "I'm sorry for the damage but there is no need to get the cops involved. I'll pay for the damages." He tries to explain but I turn away speaking into the phone. Suddenly I feel a hand grab my phone from me.

"What the hell! Give me my phone back."

"I said there is no need to get other parties involve. I'll fix this." He fumbles with my phone when the other man calls his attention and I take that moment to snatch my phone back.

"Sir we have to go." Oh no he isn't just going to leave.

"You aren't going anywhere until the cops get here. You think you could hit me and run?" I'm beyond pissed at this moment but he looks amused.

"Please believe me when I say that I could never run away from you." He responds eyeing me up and down.

"So now you're flirting with me. Just fucking great. Look, just give me your information and I'll deal with it when I get home."

"And how do you plan to get home? Your car is totaled." He says with a smug grin and I can bet the chump change in my bank account that he's happy about this situation.

"I have someone on his way, he'll be here any moment." His expression changes and the playfulness in his voice is gone.

"Very well, Taylor will get you that information." He turns back around and gets into a different black Audi behind the one that hit me. _When did that one pull up?_ The Taylor guy hands me the needed information and I take a few shots of the damage. Jose pulls up along with the tow truck he called and I bid my powder blue Wanda goodbye. With all my belongings in hand I get in Jose's truck and while he drives me home I pray that my dad isn't home because I wasn't supposed to be driving alone yet, since I simply have my learners permit.

"You know, you're going to be in some deep shit with Ray." Jose teases and I can't be mad but he's right.

"Oh fuck off but I guess this is what I get."

"Now you'll be just like the other seventeen year olds without a car." He laughs and I huff in annoyance. Jose is a year older than us in our group and he's the only one who has a license which makes him the popular kid in school. And all that has gone to his head.

"Just shut up and drive." He laughs at me once again but does as I say and drives me home.

* * *

As if running late to this stupid lunch date with Elena wasn't enough, Taylor had to rear end that poor girl's car. For the past week I've noticed his head is in the clouds and I don't like it. His work has gotten a little sloppy and this just proves me right. I have the urge to have Sawyer take me home instead of the restaurant but I don't and prepare myself for the wrath of Elena. Since ending the contract with Leila she's been on my case about getting a new sub for me to which I've refused repeatedly. The last time she picked out a sub for me was Olivia, my first sub, who turned out to be bat shit crazy. After that she's been in the dark about my subs and I know she hates it, but what she hates even more is not being able to control me. At eighteen, I started to put distance between us, when I made my first million she asked me to invest in her beauty salon chain, I refused. Since then she's been trying to dig her claws back in me, to get the control she once had over me but I refuse to let that happen again.

I find her fixing her caked up makeup in the back of the restaurant, when she sees me she tries to give me a hug but I push her away.

"You can't even hug me? Is that how you treat your friends?" She pouts but it looks painful with all the Botox she has.

"You're not my friend Elena, you're just a sad old lady." She flinches at my harsh tone and truth.

"Well you're grouchy today. Maybe I can help." She tries to be seductive but fails. Miserably.

"I don't need your help." I hiss at her as the waiter comes over with my wine. "You wanted me here, now are you going to tell me why or just waste my time."

"Testy, testy. Fine I'll cut to the chase. I'm going on vacation with Lucius for a few weeks." I could jump for joy right now. Finally I'll have some peace and quiet. She continues to speak but I tune her out not interested in whatever else she has to say. After sitting here for thirty minutes I decide I've had enough and call for the check.

"This is all the time I have for today, I need to get back to work. Enjoy your vacation, I know I will." I tell her and walk out quickly.

Back at GEH, the paperwork I asked for is waiting on my desk and my day starts getting a little better. Opening the file I take in the first three words, enjoying how they roll off my tongue.

"Anastasia Rose Steele." A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.


	2. Chapter 2

**-Saturday, October 10-**

Around seven Kate came over after her work shift and immediately jumped into 101 questions about what happened and if I was hurt. After I answered all her questions she started apologizing, blaming herself for letting me leave early from work.

"Kate it's not your fault. These things happen. Plus for a Saturday it was really slow. It would have been pointless for me to stay. Please don't blame yourself." She smiles but I can still see the guilt.

"Yea my mom called me to tell you it was okay to leave early after you left and you're right but I still feel somewhat guilty. How about I take you out to eat or something?" She asks with her signature puppy dog face.

"Okay, if it'll make you feel better, sure."

"It's a date. So who hit you anyways?" She inquires as she begins to paint my nails.

"Some guy. I have his info over on my desk. My dad called and handled it. Surprisingly, he wasn't that mad." Kate puts down the polish and walks over to my desk and squeals like a child when she reads the info scaring me half to death. "What the hell Kate?" She's jumping like a peppy cheerleader.

"Christian Grey hit you! Oh my cheese and rice! How did you not recognize him?" She's looking at me as if I grew a third eye.

"I don't know." I mumble under her scrutiny.

"He's like the sexiest most eligible bachelor ever, The Seattle Nooz is always reporting on him wondering who he's dating and stuff." She huffs dramatically.

"You know I don't really pay much attention to The Seattle Nooz, they're not reliable. Plus why do I care who he's dating. Anyways he wasn't the one who hit me, it was some other guy."

"That was probably his head of security, Jason Taylor who is equally hot. God Ana! You met them both! Do you know how hard it is to meet him outside in, like, public? You're killing me." She falls back on my back dramatically clutching her chest as if in pain.

"So are you going to go to the UW campus tour trip?" I ask changing the subject, this makes her shoot up in excitement.

"Yes. I'm excited to see it. Maybe we'll run into some hot college guys. You're going right?"

"Yea, I figured I'd go, maybe I'll get some sort of direction on what I want to study." My guidance counselor has been on my case about figuring out what I want to do with my life but so far noting has interested me. I just want a break from school. Live a little, figure my life out with the pressure everyone is giving me.

"Have you given it any thought? Maybe do something with your art skills." She suggests. Painting is my favorite pastime and yes I thought about it but haven't put any other thought in that.

"Yea I have but I'm not sure, Mrs. Carter told me about the programs they offer, and I'll check them out on the tour. Maybe I just want to be a housewife to some sexy billionaire and submit to his every kinky whim." I teasingly grin at her then burst into laughter at her shocked expression.

* * *

"Mr. Grey your dinner is served, is there anything else?" Gail, my housekeeper, asks as she peers into my study.

"No that's all for tonight. Goodnight Gail." I respond closing the email program. Elena is still bugging me about my grouchy state and I'm pretty close to telling her to fuck off and die but she's leaving soon. Three hours to be exact. Plopping down on the sofa I turn the TV on and tuck into my meal.

_**"This just in people of Seattle, the great Christian Grey was reportedly in a minor fender bender earlier today. Sources say the car in which he was traveling in collided with another. No one was hurt and witnesses say after speaking to the other person he quickly left in another waiting SUV."**_

_How is this important news? _Shaking my head I change the channel until I find a re-run of Criminal Minds. But the "news" of my accident puts Anastasia back on my mind. I pull up the full report on my phone and skim through it for the twentieth time. My mind was going wild with all the inappropriate thoughts I had when her date of birth was a bucket of ice cold water on them.

Seventeen.

I had to reread to make sure my eyes weren't playing a joke on me but I read it right. She looks older than that, maybe earlier twenties but not seventeen.

That makes me eleven years older than her.

She hasn't graduated high school yet.

Shaking my head, I toss my phone on the table and finish my dinner, pushing the thoughts I have of Anastasia to the very back of my mind, where they will soon be forgotten.

**-Sunday, October 11-**

"Please Christian, I haven't seen you in forever and I want to spend time with one of my brothers today." Mia pouts trying to bring her point across. She's been hounding me for the past two days to do something with her. To bond, as she puts it. Usually I would dangle a shopping spree and be done with it but she wants to spend actual time together.

"Okay fine but none of that girly shit. I have an image to keep up." I finally give in.

"Oh please, nothing can ruin your image. Everyone is scared of you."

"Except for you." I point out.

"That's because I know you're a softie." She sing-songs out of my study. "And hurry up; half the day is gone already." She adds tapping at her Rolex. Like the softie brother that I am, I follow her out.

Maybe a day out with Mia will help me forget about Anastasia.

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night. It's like my mind can't comprehend that dreaming about her is very inappropriate but for the first time in years I didn't wake up screaming from those nightmares.

"So I figured we'd have lunch since it's a quarter after one." She says as she pulls out onto the street.

"Sure, sounds good."

"Are you going to tell me what exactly happened yesterday?"

"Not much to tell. Taylor ran into that poor girl. She was okay but I can't say the same for her car though. It wasn't that serious." I reply looking out the window. I do hope she is okay; I didn't get to ask her that. "Taylor's been off in La-La land for the past couple of days. I don't like it."

"Have you talked to him? That's not very Jason Taylor-ish of him." Mia asks concerned. She's had a crush on him since he started working for me but has never acted on but she made sure he knew about. It doesn't bother me because I know he won't act on it.

We end up at a small café in downtown conveniently across from Neiman Marcus. I give her a pointed look and she looks ashamed. We're quickly seated near the back.

"I love the food here. Lilly and I always come here and between the two of us, we've tried almost everything on the menu."

"So everything is good then." I ask skimming over the menu and stop when I see "Best Ever Mac n Cheese" We'll see about that.

"Yes, then we end up regretting it later when we're dying at the gym." She laughs and pushes the menu aside.

An hour later I'm stuffed and very close to unbuttoning the top button of my jeans and Mia pats her belly.

"Your food nephew is very happy. Maybe eating first was a bad idea because now I want to take a nap."

"You didn't think this through." I joke and help her up. Placing a few bills on the table I then follow her out but since I'm looking the other way I don't see her and collide right into her.

"Oh I'm sorry." I apologize and help the girl up on her feet; her friend and Mia are picking up her shopping bags. "It was my fault, I didn't-"

"You!" She hisses and points her finger at me.

So much for forgetting Anastasia today.


	3. Chapter 3

**-Sunday, October 10-**

My body is on high alert with how angry she looks. She has reason to be; first I total her car and now I knocked her over. Fate is clearly enjoying this.

"I'm truly sorry, are you okay?" I ask checking her over as she wipes the debris from her hands.

"Yes I'm fine. Kate let's go." She gives her friend a pointed look and mumbles a thank you to Mia and sends me off with a glare.

"Did you piss in her Cheerios?" Mia asks clearly confused about what just happened.

"No but I did fuck up her car."

"She's the girl you hit? Geez no wonder she pissed." She half chuckles and starts walking towards the cross walk.

* * *

"Oh my god. Did that just happen?"

"Zip it Kate."

"But Ana-"

"I said zip it." I tell her and stuff my bags in the trunk of her mom's car. Today was going beautifully until he happened. What are the odds of us running into each other again? Literally run into each other. What the hell was he looking at? I wince at the pain radiating from my knee, concrete is a bitch.

"You're hurt aren't you?" Kate notices and starts rolling up my pant leg. "It's a scratch, you're not bleeding but you are going to bruise." She adds and carefully rolls it down again. She calls her mom but she's still in the shoe section on Neiman, in other words, she's going to be a while. With no other form of transportation we walk back and this time I'm careful of any incoming Christian Greys.

"Your phone just beeped." She nudges me and points to my bag.

**I am sorry. Are you sure you're not hurt?**

The text is from an unknown number but I know who it is. It's creepy that he has my phone number. I don't recall giving it to the Taylor guy; I gave him my dad's number.

**I'm fine.**

I text back and shove my phone in my back pocket but it vibrates again.

**You're mad.**

**No shit Sherlock. Do you expect me to be happy after someone knocks me down?**

**No, I guess not but still I'm sorry. For yesterday and today.**

**Its fine, no big deal. Just pay attention next time.**

**Noted :)**

Smiley face? He doesn't seem the type to send a smiley face. From what Kate's told me, he's too uptight.

"There she is. Good grief! Look at the towers of boxes she has! We're never getting out of here." Kate sighs and starts dialing, to her dad I assume. In the meantime I wander through the tables looking for a pair I might like. Kate's costume party is in two week and the last item I need is a pair of gold pumps.

**Those are nice.**

Why is he still texting me and how does he know where I am? I look like a crazy person looking around but I can sense his enjoyment.

I decide I don't care where he is and continue my quest for the perfect pair. I end up finding them in Kate's mom's tower of shoe boxes. When her attention is needed elsewhere, I swipe them and quickly walk away.

**I saw that. Tsk tsk.**

**She doesn't need them like I do.**

I text back, giving in to this game. Who is he to tsk at me? I scan the area once more and spot him in the handbags holding a purple bag and I decide to play his game.

**Purple looks wonderful on you, it goes well with your complexion.**

He starts looking around but I hide behind the sunglasses display.

**You think so? My sister wants me to go with pink. **

A cheesy grin is plastered on his face and his sister looks confused and shocked at the same time, if that's even possible. Has she never seen him like this? I'm starting to think that the things Kate told me, from Google search of course, are right. Intimidating, cold and ruling with an iron fist.

"There you are. I was looking for you." Kate startles me and I almost drop my phone. "My dad put a limit on her card so we'll be leaving soon. You found a pair?" She points to the shoe box I'm clutching tightly and I show her my find. She approves, not that I needed it; I already knew they were the ones and drags me to the nearest register before I change my mind. I final price almost changes my mind.

**I'm glad you bought them.**

"Who is texting you?"

"Jose." I lie. I'm not sure if I should tell her that it's Chtistian, she may be my best friend but she has a big mouth.

**Me too, to bad you'll never see them on.**

"What does he want?"

"To know if I got in trouble for yesterday." I answer and change the subject before she asks me more questions.

* * *

"You're not paying attention to me and I don't know whether to be mad or curious as to who has put that cheesy grin on your face." Mia states as we move to the fine jewelry counter. I took a chance texting Anastasia, not sure how she would take it, but I'm glad I did.

"I'm sorry." I say and pocket my phone. "My attention is all yours." I add but I feel the vibrate of her incoming text. When Mia has her back to me I check it and I can't help the grin her reply gives me.

**I do like a challenge, Miss Steele.**

I quickly text back before Mia turns around. I don't see Anastasia anymore or the older women her friend was hassling so I assume they've left.

"I'm not finding anything and I'm tired. How about we call it a day?" Mia puffs out a breath of air and rubs her belly.

"Alright, lets head out then." Putting my arm around her shoulder we leave the store empty handed.

**I hope you like losing too, Mr. Grey.**

I need to end this before it escalates. She's still a minor, still pure and innocent. She doesn't need the darkness that my life has. I don't need to taint her with it. I don't reply to her message and I erase all the others along with her number.

**-Wednesday, October 14-**

Christian hasn't texted me back since Sunday and im not about to look desperate by texting him but I was enjoying the playful banter. After the shopping trip I Googled him and my eyes bugged out when I saw how old he was, twenty-eight! But if I'm being honest, that doesn't bother me.

It not like anything serious will rise from this, maybe a friendship but looking at how things are now, I doubt it.

"Hey Ana are you ready for the UW tour trip on Friday?" Kate's hollers from her closet. The UW trip is a 2day1night thing and she's packing for a week.

"Yea I am but do you need to pack so much stuff?" I push some shirts off my chemistry book.

"Of course, I need to be prepared and make a statement." She answers holding up two pairs of shoes. "Which one?" She doesn't wait for my answer and stuffs them both in her overnight bag.

"A slutty statement." I mumble under my breath and continue with my homework while Kate talks to herself in the closet.

* * *

"Andrea what is this thing I have for Friday?" My assistant rushes over to me from her desk.

"You have a meeting with Mr. Archer West from the agricultural department at University of Washington followed by a campus tour." She explains and hands me the pamphlet.

"Ah yes, okay. Is this an all day thing?"

"Yes, they'll also have some students from Seattle Prep doing an overnight tour so they might have you speak with some of them who are interested in business, but nothing is for sure. It'll depend on you." She answers a little nervous.

"Okay, thanks Andrea." She nods and quickly walks back to her desk.

Seattle prep? Why does that sound familiar? Then it hits me. Anastasia. I haven't texted her since Sunday but I've had the urge to do so. I've thought of her since and Ross caught me daydreaming yesterday and has been giving me shit for it since. Just thinking about anything more with her makes me think of Elena and I get a little sick.

Unlike Elena, I'm trying to do the right thing and stay away. I was two years younger than Anastasia when she set her eyes on me and that's all she did. She made it known she wanted to fuck me but I never did. Old wrinkly pussy was never my thing. She tried to change my mind when she introduced the BDSM lifestyle to me, it didn't work but I was curious about it. That day I did some research and I knew that would be something for me. Elena thought she could control me by offering to be a mentor of sorts but I declined and that pissed her off. I gave her a chance and she fucked it up by giving me a crazy stalker.

She's to young and innocent to be tainted by me but the more I try to resist the more I want to talk to her.

Maybe I could be her friend.


	4. Chapter 4

**-Friday, October 16-**

"Okay ladies and gentlemen, we'll now break off into groups based on the major you're thinking about getting. At the end of our tour today we will all meet at the auditorium for a special guest speaker." The elder guide informs us and the group leader's step forward holding signs. I bid Kate goodbye since she's going off with the journalist group and Jose and I leave with the Art/Photography group.

"So is this the route you decided?" He asks handing me the tour guide.

"I'm considering it. It doesn't hurt to check it out. I mean I love painting so why not." I reply.

"Maybe we could open up a gallery one day, you showcase your paintings and I do the same with my photos." He suggests and that sounds like a good idea.

"And we can have Kate report on it." I add and he grins.

"See we got this figured out already. Who needs college?" He says a little too loud and laughs; the rest of the group looks at us and I slap my handover my mouth as my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

We follow the group listening to Jon as he shows us the different classes and programs available. The types of events they host to get people known but my mind is still on what Jose said earlier about the gallery. That isn't a bad idea and we would have control over our business but I don't know a thing about running a business.

"Are you paying attention?" Jose whispers looking over at me curiously.

"Yea."

"You're a shit liar Ana." He replies shaking his head. "You do this thing with your lip when you're thinking to hard, so what is it?" He slows us down from the group and drapes his arm around me. "Tell your best friend Jose whats on your mind." I shake my head at the shit eating grin spread on his face at his comment.

"Just thinking about what you said, about the gallery, it's not a bad idea. I was trying to figure out how it would work since neither one of us knows about business."

"I was kidding about that but you're right. It's a good idea. Maybe we should take a business class or something." He suggests as we turn the corner and out to the university square.

"Or we could find someone who knows business gibberish." He nods his head and I can see the wheels in his head turning. I know we could bring in the clientele, I've seen his work and he's sold a few small pieces to people around Seattle.

When we pass by the student court I get the oddest feeling that I'm being watched. There are a lot of people walking around but I move in closer to Jose, interlocking our arms.

* * *

For the last two hours I've followed Mr. West around the agricultural department looking at the different projects some of the students are involved in. Everything he's said has gone in through one ear and out the other. My mind is on Anastasia, wondering where on campus she's at and what her major is. I sent Taylor to find her five minutes ago.

"Now that you've seen all the hard work your funds have been used on, do you have any questions?" West asks me as we exit the greenhouse.

"No, I see my money is being used wisely and I am proud of the work these students are doing." I reply shaking his hand.

"The students from Seattle Prep are currently on the tour, you can feel free to look around. I can have one of my students show you-"

"No, that's okay. I'd rather walk around alone, don't want to bother the hard working students." He nods and we part ways. Taylor texted me where Ana's group is, her group being the Art/Photography department.

"She's towards the back of the group, in the blue shirt." Taylor says when he sees me. My eyes immediately scan the group and I spot her. She's with a tall young man whispering to him when he casually drapes his arm around her and pulls her in as they talk.

Watching them interact ignites a foreign emotion in me.

The group moves along and I follow them making sure I keep some distance. Anastasia and that boy pull away slightly from the group talking in hushed voices. Whatever it is, by the look on Anastasia's face, it's serious.

Is he her boyfriend?

Just thinking that thought has my blood simmering but I have no right feeling this way. I'm eleven years older than her; she's an innocent young kid. She deserves someone who is emotionally available and not a person like me.

They group walks through the student court when I notice Anastasia's body stiffen a bit. She slowly starts looking around and I hide behind a pillar. She moves closer to the young man and clings to his arm tightly.

"Mr. Grey, it's time to head to the auditorium." Taylor informs me and I follow him trying to fight the urge to dial up Welch and look into Anastasia's friends.

Peering from the curtains, the auditorium slowly fills up but I haven's seen Anastasia enter yet. The last of the students shuffle in and the doors close. My eyes scan the rows of students but no Anastasia, not even the boy she was with.

* * *

"Seems you two have got your lives figured out." Kate answers flatly after Jose and I tell her about our plan. We're sitting in the student court after we agreed to ditch the special guest speech and wonder around campus.

"Hey we included you on this." Jose points out. "We could've easily cut you out." He adds and gets a candy wrapper thrown at him.

"How generous of you." She answers sarcastically.

"Okay enough you to. It's just a thought. Anyways, are we going to wander around or sit here?"

"Alright lets go." Jose pulls out his campus map and we set off on our own tour.

The last place we stop at is the library and once again I get the feeling I'm being watched.

"I never pegged you for a rule breaker." A voice from behind startles me.

"Jesus Christ!" I hiss and quickly turn around. "You scared me half to death! What the hell?" My heart is beating a million miles per hour and he has a smug grin on his face.

"My apologies Miss Steele. Scaring you was never my intention." He says picking up the book I dropped. "You weren't in the auditorium." He states raising a brow at me.

"And? Whats your point?"

"All the students were informed to show up at the end of the tour-"

"Aww, are you sad that I didn't show up to your speech? Look what I do or where I go is none of your business, okay." Im a little annoyed at him now and I'm tired of running into him.

"You don't look like a rule breaker." He says once again.

"Look here Mr. Grey; you don't know shit about me or who I am. So please save it. Yea I ditched the speech, it isn't the first time I've done that. I didn't want to be bored to death by what you had to say plus business isn't what I wan to major in." He looks displeased with me when I finish and I push past him when he grabs my arm.

"I'm sorry if I've angered you, you're right I don't know you. It's just that you look sweet and innocent."

"I'm not sweet or innocent okay." I answer pulling my arm from his grip. "I don't live under a rock." He looks shocked by my admission as we have a stare down.

"Is he your boyfriend?" He blurts out suddenly and I can't help the laugh bubbling out of me.

"Are you serious? What is it to you who Jose is?" I ask him then realization hits. The feeling of being watched, how else would he know about Jose? "You were following me weren't you?" He scoffs and shakes his head.

"Why would I follow you?"

"The same reason why you want to know who Jose is to me. Because you care." He scowls and I continue, "You're jealous!" His jaw twitches and I decide to have fun with him. "You're jealous of Jose, that's why you're getting all pissy."

"No I'm not. I don't care who you hang around with."

"Yes you do. Don't even lie; that's the first question a jealous man asks when he sees a girl he likes with another man." He's turning a light shade of pink, maybe from embarrassment or anger, maybe both.

"I should stay away form you." He mumbles while pulling on his hair.

"Well you're doing a piss poor job since you're constantly following me."

"I am not following you." He states almost stomping his foot.

"Yea sure you're not. Look I gotta go." I say and turn on my heel leaving him standing alone in the aisle pulling on his hair.

* * *

Damn that woman!


	5. Chapter 5

**-Tuesday Oct, 20th-**

"What about this one?" Jose asks for the millionth time. We're at the local Halloween store looking for a costume for him. He's holding up a werewolf costume.

"Are you going to keep that mask on the whole time?" He ponders the question and puts back the package.

"I still don't get why I have to dress up. Violet said she didn't care." He complains while walking down the aisle.

"When us women say "We don't care." we DO care. Its like a trick question."

"Yea well us men don't do trick questions. That's how we end up in the dog house." He huffs and pull out a batman mask. "Bruce Wayne?" I shrug and pull out a Greek costume.

"What about this? You'll be half naked, just how you always want to be." He looks it over then snatches it out of my hand.

"See, this is why we're best friends. You know me so well." He takes off towards the registers and I pick up my pace to catch up when I hear my name being called. Turning around I see the same young lady who was with Christian.

"You're Ana, right?"

"Yes, but I don't know who you are." She looks a little embarrassed by my remark.

"I'm Mia, Christian's little sister. I thought it was you, I just wanted to say hi." She answers and an awkward silence ensues. I haven't spoken to him since Friday and Im glad since I've been swamped with school work.

"Who's this Ana?" Jose asks breaking the awkwardness.

"Hi I'm Mia." She sticks out her hand to him. "Ana here knows my brother Christian." she adds and I see the wheels turning in his head.

"Are you costume shopping?" He asks and I immediately don't like where this is going.

"Oh no. Im here with my friend and her daughter."

"Maybe you should. Our friend is throwing a Halloween party, you should stop by."

"I don't know-"

"Her brother is a junior at WSU so they'll be older people if you don't want to chill with us high school kids. You can bring some of your friends too." He flashes her his mega-watt smile and I know she's sold. She agrees and Jose gives her Kate's address. Mia gives me a hug and rushes back to her friend.

"Why did you do that?" I ask as we exit the store and head over to the craft store.

"Because Kate told me about this "Christian" guy. Plus with all the people Kate and Ethan have invited already I doubt you'll see her. Now help me find some gold leaves for my toga gown." With that the topic is closed and I follow him down the aisle.

* * *

After a week in New York dealing with incompetent people, it feels good to finally be home. I hate living out of hotel and suit case so much I'm thinking of purchasing a penthouse there.

"Finally your home!" Mia squeals when I step out of the elevator. So much for peace and quiet.

"Mia. I should revoke your key." I murmur and she slaps my arm.

"Oh hush. I have to tell you some amazing news. Come sit down." She usher me into the living room, pulls off my suit jacket and pushes me down on the sofa. "So I got an invite to a Halloween party today and your are going with me."

"What? Mia, are you serious? I don't do parties." She scowls at me and puts on her 'I'm dead serious' face.

"You don't do a lot of things, but this, you're going to do and I don't want to hear your complaining. You don't even know who invited me and who is going to be at this party."

"And let me guess, you're going to tell me. So who invited you?"

"Your friend Anastasia. Well, not her, it was her friend but still its like the same thing." I sit up straighter when I hear her name.

"You saw her today?"

"Yes, she was with her friend at the Halloween store. You're going even if I have to drag you myself. You need to have some fun big brother." she explains and her expression softens as she places her hand on mine. "All you do is work and I worry you're going to run yourself to the ground."

"That won't happen and I like what I do. Work is fun."

"You need to look up the definition of fun because work is not it. I'm sure if you ignore the company for a day it's not going to crumble to the ground." I could ignore GEH for a few months and it would still profit. I take a glance at Mia and sure enough she has those puppy dog eyes on full display.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not the party guy type plus I don't have a costume." She claps her hands and rushes out, coming back with a large bag.

"You're in luck because I bought you one!" She dumps the contents of the bag and holds up a plastic pouch. "Remember how you always wanted to be this when you grew up! Now you can!" She gushes and puts the hat on me.

I guess I'm going to be a pilot.

And I'm going to a party.


	6. Chapter 6

**-Friday Oct 23rd-**

It's a little after four in the afternoon and with two of my late meeting cancelled I decided to call it a day and head home, but it seems like I wasn't the only one with that idea. Taylor is getting frustrated with the traffic trying to figure the quickest way home.

"I guess going home early was a bad idea." He grunts and glares at me and focus on the people outside instead. I finally got to the bottom of Taylor's distraction; it seems his ex-wife got hitched to some rancher in Texas and plans to move at the end of the month. Sophie is everything to him and I know not being able to see her whenever he likes will kill him. I told him my jet was at his disposal and reminded him of ALL the unused vacation days he has. I know it's not much but it's the least I could do for him for putting up with me on a daily basis.

Three blocks away from Escala we hit a stand still in traffic. The officer walking down tells Taylor there's been an accident up a head and that we'll be a while sitting in traffic. Sighing is recline back in my seat and look out the window when I see a girl struggling with her book bag walk up the steps of the library. A young man calls her attention and I get a good look of her face. It's none other than Anastasia.

"Taylor, I think Im going to walk the rest of the way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea, stretching my legs will do me some good." I say and get out weaving thru the cars til I reach the sidewalk. With a discreet enough distance between us I follow her inside. She walks over to where the study tables are at and gives the same guy from before a hug but this time he's with a girl with lavender colored hair. I pretend to look for a book as I discreetly watch them for five minutes when they leave Anastasia. She begins to dump her books on the table scattering them about that she doesn't notice me until I sit across from her, her eyes widen when she does.

"Christian, what are you doing here?" She asks pulling out a notebook.

"I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by."

"Really? You expect me to believe that? I'm sure you have a library of your own." her gaze makes me uneasy and I crack.

"Okay I followed you."

"That's more like it." She smiles and begins to flip through the pages.

"What are you working on?" I say as I see the titles of some of the books.

"My Economics project. This class is killing me. I have to come up with a company and figure out how to make it succeed. Its due Monday and I have no idea what I'm doing." she sighs and shows me the outline packet.

"Maybe I can help you. I did build GEH on my own from the ground up."

"You did? I didn't know that. I was thinking of asking my uncle to help but he's in London. " Her shocked answer surprises me; most people know the history of how I came to be. "I guess you'll do." She adds and for the next two hours I help her and get to know her a bit at the same time.

* * *

"So who was that girl with your friend?" He asks me while we walk towards the exit.

"Violet, Jose's girlfriend." I reply and he nods and I can't help but have a little fun. "You still think he's my boyfriend?" He looks a little embarrassed about that and apologizes for the comment.

"I was an ass for that. Is someone going to pick you up?"

"No, I'll catch the bus home. I don't live far." I answer and slam into him when he suddenly stops.

"Do you know how dangerous that is? It's late, I'll take you home." He grabs my book bag from me and starts walking toward a black SUV and I have no choice but to follow. "This is Taylor, Taylor this is Ana and we'll make a detour to her house." He says and I ramble off my address as I text my dad that I got a ride from a friend.

"You like to take control of situations." He tenses for a moment but sighs and relaxes next to me.

"Yea, I should have asked you but it is dangerous. What about your car, is it getting fixed?"

"No, the inspector guy checked it out and told us its totaled. Jose's dad took one look and said it was pointless to fix it, so I'm car-less until we figure out what to do."

"How about I buy you a car? It was my fault, well Taylor since he was driving." He playfully kicks Taylor's seat and I see him glare at Christian. I laugh when Taylor slowly moves his seat back minimizing Christian's leg room.

"Taylor this isn't funny. Your seat is hitting my knees."

"I have long legs sir, I need the space." Taylor answers clearly enjoying this. Christian has no choice but to yank his legs out and move to the middle seat.

"Anyways back to what I was saying, I'll buy whatever car you want."

"Yea whatever, um… A Mercedes." I reply still laughing over Taylor's antics. He eventually puts his seat back in place and Christian returns to his seat.

"Alright, I guess this is your house then." He says as Taylor pulls to a stop.

"Yea, well thank you both." I say and gather my belongings.

"Oh before I forget, I was invited to a Halloween party. Mia said Jose invited her."

"And you're going? Aren't you a little old to be partying with us young folk?" I tease and he scowls.

"I'm gong to pretend I didn't hear that. I even have a costume."

"I definitely have to see this. The Christian Grey dressing up for Halloween."

"Yea well make sure you have a camera ready because this will be the only time." He grins and walks around the car to help me out.

"I'll be prepared then. Thanks for helping me and for the lift home." I reply then on my tiptoes I kiss him on the cheek and wave goodbye.


End file.
